It is well known that, in certain patients, epileptic seizures consistently originate from a single location within the brain. When a primary epileptogenic region or seizure focus is suspected some form of monitoring by implanted electrodes may be performed during which time the electrodes are connected to recording instruments such as an electroencephalograph (EEG) machine. Additionally, in some patients, intracranial electrical stimulation using implanted electrodes is performed to map regional brain function as a precursor to surgical removal of the epileptogenic region. Current apparatus for performing such a mapping procedure requires the patient be connected to both an EEG monitoring system and a separate electrical stimulator. In addition, these systems are connected to the patient via a cumbersome multi-wire cable. Current systems also require manual connection of the electrical stimulation systems to specific electrodes (i.e. clip leads are moved on a connector box by the operator).
Having separate monitoring and stimulation systems, requires two sets of controls and complicates operation as compared to an integrated monitoring and stimulation system with a single control console.
Multi-wire cables are a source of unwanted electrical noise and place constraints on patient movement. It is highly desirable to have the EEG monitoring and stimulation system be remotely controllable from the EEG monitoring system console without direct wire connection to the patient.